with Arithmetic (Arm. Xraxcˇanakank, lit., “Things for festal occasions”). These too are possibly
the oldest extant texts of their kind in the world. Two short treatises, one on the numerology
of the Old and New Testaments, and another on the allegorical significance or power of
numbers also survive. A number of fragmentary works are considered to have been part of
his lost mathematical textbook, Arithmetic: Texts for Four Applications.
One of the most important of Anania’s works is his Geography (Arm., Asˇxarhacoyc), which
was once thought to be the work of M X. This work, which survives in a long
and short recension, is explicitly based on the lost Geography of P A,
and also makes use of P. It is a rambling, epitomized descriptive geography, cover-
ing all the then-known world, from Spain to China, offering nothing new except for some
few details about Asia Minor. Nearly one quarter is devoted specifically to the Caucasus,
Armenia, and the Sasanian empire, providing much information from local otherwise
unknown sources, and comprising an invaluable source for the historical geography of these
areas, but especially Armenia. Another work, On the Languages of the World, lists and locates
the speakers of the 72 known world languages.
Anania’s chronological works survive mostly in fragmentary form. The Book of Caesars, up
to the year 685/6, is essentially a poor translation of Greek sources. In addition to a short
treatise entitled On Calendars, fragments of a treatise survive in which he seems to have
worked out a universal schema of calendar calculation. Short pieces, on the date of Christ-
mas and on the date of Easter, and a comparison of the Armenian and Hebrew calendars,
also survive.
Other surviving works include a book on Weights and Measures, which is essentially a very
loose, inaccurate translation of E C. Two related opuscules, On Meas-
ures and On Weights and Weighers, also raise certain ethical issues. A short essay, On the Names of
Gems and their Colors, also survives. A treatise On Music is of disputed authorship. Other
untitled works on meteorology and on foretelling the weather remain unedited.
Anania’s works served as the curriculum standard in the medieval Armenian academy,
as well as the basis for many later Armenian writers who devoted themselves to science in
the Middle Ages, of whom the more famous were Anania of Narek, Yovhanne ̄s Kosern,
Grigor Magistros, Yovhanne ̄s Sarkavag, Samue ̄l Aneci, Yovhanne ̄s Erznkaci, Grigor
Datevaci, etc.
Ed.: Asˇot Abrahamyan, Anania Sˇirakacu Matenagrutyune ̄ [The Works of Anania Sˇirakaci] (1944);
Robert H. Hewsen, The Geography of Ananias of Sˇirak (Asˇxarhacouc). The Long and the Short Recensions
(1992).
Hakob Manandyan, “Les mesures attribuées à Anania Sˇirakaci convertées en poids et mesures
actuels,” Revue des études arméniennes 5 (1968) 369–419; Robert H. Hewsen, “Science in Seventh
Century Armenia: Ananias of Sˇirak,” Isis 49 (1968) 32–45; Jean-Pierre Mahé, “Quadrivium et
cursus d’études au VIIe siècle en Arménie et dans le monde byzantin d’après le Knnikon d’Anania
Sˇirakaci,” Travaux et Mémoires 10 (1987) 159–206; A.S. Matewosyan, “Anania Sˇirakacu ‘Asˇxarhagru-
tyan’ het kapvac mi kani harcer [Some Questions relative to the Geography of Anania of Shirak],”
Lraber 9 (1979) 73–86.
Edward G. Mathews, Jr.
Anastasios (200? – 540 CE)
A A 12.47 (p. 681 Cornarius) preserves his gout remedy, containing shelf-
fungus, aloes, cinnamon, gentian (cf. G), malabathron, parsley, spikenard, etc.
This Christian name is attested from ca 200 CE (LGPN, esp. 3A.36, 3B.33), but rare before
ANASTASIOS